Vette(s):Second-month production Shark, this 1968E was built up by original owner into 1969 ZR1 (L88 body with LT1 engine) for Club Racing. Body styling is from Maglioli's 1968 L88 "Le Mans" racer

Joined: 10/27/2010
Posts: 54

My 68 convertible is finally in my back yard in Sydney, after buying it in L.A. in June last year.

Surprising what's still in place on the old beast (e.g., the trim piece under the rear window of the auxiliary hard top) and what's not (under dash brace rods), given that this car was once in Club Racing (B Production).

So as to the dash bracing, which is set out in my copy of the 68 assembly instructions 1 Bold Weld A6.6 (pp 46), mine has none. No bracketry even, nor any signs of it having been removed.

Mine's from the very first month of 68 MY production; is that the answer -- bracing was added later in the MY?

And regardless, can it / should it be added back?

Thanks in advance.

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1968E (2nd month production) convertible first registered California 1967 and a retired SCCA race car. It is still race prepped and built up as a '69 ZR1 (announced '69 but not built until '70); i.e., the L88 car with LT1 motor.

Glad to hear the race car made the trip ok! I don't know 68's well enough to know if that part is the same as mine.. but the drivers side brace in mine has been removed because of the vintage air system that is in my car..not really sure exactly how much they brace..but I would think a race car like yours would have been thru some well, race conditions..if it needed it I am sure it would have been put in..but like I said the 68 is its own beast..you have to want a 68 if you want a stock 68..everything is different when it comes to the real detail of the car..so I would go with whatever the AIM said..but I really wouldn't worry about that little brace..how about some cool pics from the new home of this car!

The AIM(Assembly Instruction Manual) would have a notation of any new, or updated parts in the drawing. If the brace was added during production, it would be called out on the sheet, and a date referenced in the "Notes" section of the page. Something like "#342456 added". Then you could look at the date the sheet was drawn/authorized, in the lower right. Sometimes the notation of the part added will also have the date next to it. If the date is BEFORE your production date, then the part would be something that was ok'd to be added before your car was built, usually. Not all production changes were implemented immediately on the line, unless it was a serious safety issue. If the brace you speak of was drawn in in the Assy Manual after your car's production date, then it's unlikely your car would have had that from the factory.hth

Vette(s):Second-month production Shark, this 1968E was built up by original owner into 1969 ZR1 (L88 body with LT1 engine) for Club Racing. Body styling is from Maglioli's 1968 L88 "Le Mans" racer

Joined: 10/27/2010
Posts: 54

Fair enough. I wouldn't even wonder except it's not A brace; there are FIVE. The revisions to the drawing are all very minor and none indicate the braces were added. If GM thought they needed 5 braces, mine must be mighty sloppy on the road without them! The mount points are welded-in gussets, so I doubt I'll go to the trouble to install them. Thanks for the input!

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1968E (2nd month production) convertible first registered California 1967 and a retired SCCA race car. It is still race prepped and built up as a '69 ZR1 (announced '69 but not built until '70); i.e., the L88 car with LT1 motor.

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